Louisville Man Sentenced to 5-Plus Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Illegal Possession of Firearms

Louisville, KY – A Louisville, Kentucky man was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.

According to court documents, on September 8, 2022, Deonta Degroat, 34, possessed with the intent to distribute 149 grams of fentanyl. Degroat also possessed a DPMS, Model A15, multi-caliber rifle, a Sharps Brothers, Model Hellbreaker, multi-caliber AR-pistol, an Apache Armament, Model AA15, multi-caliber rifle, and an ARMSCOR, Model M1911-A1, .45 caliber pistol. Degroat was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense. On March 20, 2013, in the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan, Wayne County, Michigan, Degroat was convicted of home invasion in the second degree (attempt).

After the 63-month prison sentence, Degroat was ordered to serve 4 years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was investigated by the DEA and the ATF with the assistance from the Kentucky State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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